Gaza Strikes Kill at Least 28 Palestinians Since Hamas Accepted Ceasefire Roadmap
Israeli forces carried out more than 10 airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 18 Palestinians including women and children, even as Hamas accepted a roadmap for the second phase of a US-brokered ceasefire plan. [2] Gaza strikes since Friday have killed at least 28 Palestinians in Gaza despite announcements of progress on the ceasefire roadmap. [1]
Escalation of Israeli Strikes Following Ceasefire Roadmap Acceptance
On Sunday alone, the Israeli army carried out more than 10 airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 18 Palestinians, including women and children, and wounding dozens more, according to Gaza's Civil Defence. [2] Strikes targeted residential buildings, tents, civilian vehicles and gatherings in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Jabalia, wiping out entire families including a pregnant woman, her child and unborn foetus. [2] Among those killed was the al-Taif family after an Israeli strike hit their apartment in Gaza City. [2] The Israeli army wiped out an entire family without prior warning, killing the father, the pregnant mother, their child, and the unborn foetus. [2] Residents helped in the rescue effort said power outages and continued Israeli overflights delayed overnight searches for victims. [2] Mohammad Ayyash, who participated in recovering the bodies, told TNA that rescue teams retrieved the body of a foetus after the blast fatally injured its pregnant mother, describing the aftermath as evidence of the heavy civilian toll of the attacks. [2] Israeli attacks killed at least 28 Palestinians in Gaza since Friday’s agreement. [3] Israeli strikes since Friday have killed at least 28 Palestinians in Gaza despite announcements of progress on the ceasefire roadmap. [1] In a separate statement, the Israeli military claimed without evidence that its forces had killed three Palestinians whom it identified as members of armed groups planning attacks against Israeli troops. [2]
Hamas Acceptance of the Second-Phase Roadmap
Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza residential areas killing at least 28 Palestinians since ceasefire roadmap acceptance. — Source: thenewarab
On Friday, Hamas announced it accepted the mediators' proposal to complete the US-brokered ceasefire's second phase, aiming to end the war and enable reconstruction. [2] Hamas accepted the mediators' proposal for the ceasefire's second phase but conditioned progress on Israel halting attacks, withdrawing forces and fulfilling first-phase commitments. [2] The movement emphasised that progress on sensitive issues, including heavy weapons discussions, depends on Israel halting military actions, withdrawing from Gaza, and fulfilling initial phase commitments. [2] Hamas and the other Palestinian factions accepted the roadmap on Thursday at El-Alamein, on Egypt's Mediterranean coast. [4] It names one body that may hold Hamas' weapons, and it is not Israel. [4] Only the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza may hold, store or control weapons in Gaza. [4] Hamas has since submitted amendments to the weapons article and to the clause covering Gaza's government employees. [4] Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating team, said the movement was making concessions for the sake of our people in the Gaza Strip, to save them from killing and displacement. [4]
Israeli Government Rejection of Key Roadmap Elements
Israeli officials including Energy Minister Eli Cohen stated there is no agreement to stop military operations and that forces will not withdraw until Hamas is disarmed. [2] In an interview with Army Radio, Cohen, a member of the security cabinet, denied that Israel had agreed to end its assault and backed a full military takeover of the Strip. [4] Security Cabinet member Ze'ev Elkin said Israel won't withdraw until Hamas is disarmed. [2] He was also unaware of any policy change regarding Gaza. [2] Israeli media have reported that the government is demanding the total disarmament of Hamas and that weapons be handed over to a Western state. [5] Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, said Israeli forces would not withdraw until the complete demilitarisation of Hamas. [5] The Israeli government has actively worked to impose stringent new parameters. [5]
Palestinian Analysis of Attacks as Negotiating Strategy
Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza residential areas killing at least 28 Palestinians since ceasefire roadmap acceptance. — Source: anadolu
Palestinian analysts and officials describe the attacks as a deliberate negotiating tactic and part of a pattern where diplomatic advances coincide with intensified military action. [2] Gaza-based Palestinian analyst Mustafa Ibrahim believes the latest attacks should not be viewed as an isolated military episode but rather as part of Israel's broader negotiating approach. [2] The killing of 18 Palestinians in a single day reflects the continuation of Israel's military doctrine rather than a temporary battlefield development. [2] What is happening cannot be separated from the negotiations. [2] This reflects the nature of the Israeli government, which continues to prioritise military pressure and believes force remains its primary instrument in managing the conflict. [2] Eyad al-Qarra, a Palestinian political analyst based in Gaza, told Al Jazeera that this step would be an uncalculated risk for Hamas and other Palestinian groups. [5] There is still hope that the factions will not reach this stage. Otherwise, it is feared that the price would be even higher, as Israel would exploit this to launch an even wider war on Gaza. [5]
International and Palestinian Calls for Implementation and Halt to Violence
International and Palestinian figures including the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Board of Peace envoy and PLO members have urged Israel to halt attacks, warning that continued strikes undermine the agreement and risk derailing implementation ahead of Israeli elections. [1] The Palestinian Authority presidency on Monday urged the international community to intervene and pressure Israel to immediately implement the agreement's second phase. [2] Presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the continuing military campaign demonstrated that the agreement remained ink on paper. [2] Mohammed Dahlan, a senior Fatah official, also stressed that the roadmap's success depended on Israel ending daily attacks. [2] Turkey likewise condemned the latest Israeli strikes, saying they demonstrated that the Israeli government does not want peace with the Palestinians. [2] A Board of Peace envoy urges Netanyahu to halt attacks in Gaza. [1] Nickolay Mladenov, the lead envoy for the Board of Peace, condemned the military escalation. [5] Two days of strikes across Gaza have killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on. [5]
Broader Context of Casualties and Ceasefire Breaches
Since the ceasefire entered into force last October, Gaza's Health Ministry said that more than 1,250 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, bringing the overall death toll since Israel launched its genocidal war in October 2023 to more than 73,000. [2] Those figures have fuelled scepticism among many Palestinians who increasingly view ceasefire announcements as offering little immediate protection from continuing violence. [2] The continued bombardment of Gaza, contributing to Israel’s continued breaches of October’s ceasefire agreement, will likely threaten Trump’s peace plan and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the enclave. [5] The government of Benjamin Netanyahu will continue its policy of procrastination, evasion, and disruption until the date of the Israeli elections on October 27. [5] The critical 14-day negotiation period for implementation protocols remains entirely frozen. [5]
What to watch next: Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States remain engaged in efforts aimed at overcoming disagreements surrounding Israeli withdrawal, security arrangements and governance in post-war Gaza, with the Palestinian Authority calling on the UN Security Council to compel Israel to halt military operations. [2]
